Nandi Hills needs no introduction. This is the most popular hangout for people of Bangalore. Located at about 60 kms from the city, Nandi hills opens to tourists at 6 AM and is fully crowded on weekends. But on a weekday, you can possibly have the whole hilltop for yourself.

Nandi hills has nice view points, a temple, few gardens with play area and a suicide point known as Tippu’s drop, from where those who betray the kingdom were used to be thrown off, on to certain death, given the hard rocks and high altitude of the place. Gardens are well maintained and a good amount of birds can also be spotted if you have the eye for it. Basic facilities like restroom and restaurants are available on the hill. Be careful about monkeys who fly in from nowhere and escape with whatever items they feel might contain food.

Do not miss to stop by at the Tippu’s guest house complex, now in ruins and a beautiful pond, located near the entrance of the hill. If you have some more to spare, do drive to Muddenahalli, birth place of Sir M Vishveshwaraiah, a great engineer of recent times. His birth place is converted into a small museum.